Chapter 16

Willow sat in the bridal suite of Xelmont Hotel in Nythera, staring at her lavishly dressed reflection in the mirror, still dazed. She had believed she would marry a man in a vegetative state, condemned to a lifetime of empty vows. But fate, it seemed, had a sense of humor. On her very first day at the Scott residence, Clive woke up. She had been standing by his bed then, gazing down at the man who had slept for years. His features were sharp, his lashes casting delicate shadows across his pale face. He was so still that he might have passed for a painting. Willow sighed. He'd have been devastatingly handsome if not for that endless slumber. Then, his fingers twitched. She stumbled back as his eyes slowly opened. They were deep and piercing, and they locked onto hers. In that heartbeat of shared gaze, her voice trembled. "D-Doctor! He's awake!" After that, everything moved quickly. The Scotts wept with joy as doctors swarmed in, conducting frantic examinations. Willow stood moti